July 31st
by Noelle
Summary: This is my first ever fic! It's pretty short, but it's pretty good, and goes into the meaning of July 31st...okay, I know that sounds odd, but trust me, it's not TOO confusing! Please review my first ever fic!


July 31st

A/N: This is sort of an odd fic. It goes into an in depth explanation of the meaning of July 31st in Harry's life…besides his birthday. Please don't flame, this is my first ever fic! Thanks so much to Elani Wrapdon, one of my best friends, for introducing me to FFN and compelling me to write.

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Harry Potter, a seventeen-year-old wizard, sat in a group of his friends. Sirius Black, his godfather, had his name cleared the year before for crimes he didn't commit, and now Harry was living happily with Sirius. It was July 31st, Harry's seventeenth birthday, and his first one away from the Dursleys, Harry's horrible Muggle relatives. And although Harry felt joyous, he also felt as though something was missing from his life, besides his parents. But, alas, Harry could not put his finger on it.

"Harry, come one, cut the cake!" Hermione Granger, one of Harry's two best friends, ordered in her bossy tone as she flipped her long brown hair over her shoulders.

"But don't cut the cheese!" Fred Weasley yelled. Fred was the older brother of Harry's other best friend, Ron, and the Weasleys were practically family to Harry.

Harry laughed. "All right, all right," he said, and picked up a knife, slicing the cake into pieces.

***

__

16 years earlier…

"Lily, dear, it just feels so odd having a birthday celebration without my friends," James Potter complained to his wife.

Lily Potter, his wife, scoffed. "James, I know it doesn't feel right, but it's your and Harry's birthdays, and we're going to celebrate it friends or no friends, even if You-Know-Who is out there right now, killing people. Know hold Harry, while I light the candles on the cake."

James nodded, and took his one-year-old son from Lily's arms, fondling him. "All right, cakes ready! Blow out your candles and make a wish!" Lily said, smiling brightly as her flaming red hair.

James laughed, and blew on the candles. "Thank the lord that there wasn't as much candles on my age on there, or it would have taken me forever to get the candles out."

Lily pushed him, giggling. "Yeah right, old man," she laughed, and then turned coy. "What did you wish for?" she said in a what-was-supposed-to-be angelic voice.

James grew solemn. "I wished that we will always stay safe as a family, and live to raise Harry properly." After he said this, he took Lily in his arms, and had a group hug consisting of her, Harry, and himself.

***

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Back in present times…

Ginny Weasley, Harry's girlfriend, sat down on the couch next to him. "What'd you wish for?" she said, leaning against his chest.

He laughed. "Don't you know that if you tell someone you what you wish for, it'll never come true?"

Ginny punched him in the arm. "C'mon, Harry, you know that's just an old wives tale! _Anyways_, how does it feel being a big seventeen-year-old?"

Harry hugged her. "I'm glad I've finally become _big_," he said, laughing. He chose not to mention that there was something bothering him, in the very back of his mind. He looked over at Sirius, who beckoned for Harry to come over to where Sirius was sitting. "Hold on, Gin," Harry said, getting up.

"Hey, Sirius, what's up?" Harry said, sitting down next to his godfather.

"Harry, there's something I need to tell you. Your father would have…wanted it. You see…"

***

__

Back to the past…

The room suddenly grew cold, and a dark, malicious laugh filled the air. "Oh, but don't you know that if you tell someone what you wish for, it'll never come true?" a penetrating voice said.

"Lily, take Harry and go! It's Him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off-" James shouted at Lily, who got up and in the spur of the moment, accidently ran upstairs. She heard someone stumbling downstairs, and all of a sudden, the door burst open. There was Voldemort, standing as cruel looking as ever. He laughed, and it was oddly high-pitched.

Lily shrunk against the wall. "Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!" she pleaded with the Dark Lord as she held her son tightly against her breast.

"Stand aside, you silly girl…stand aside, now…" the Dark Lord commanded.

Lily's tears were unseen. "Not Harry, please no, take m, kill me instead-" she begged, her heart growing colder and colder with dread. "Not Harry! Please…have mercy…have mercy…"

As Lily screamed and Harry cried, Voldemort laughed almost madly, and shouted a curse unheard to many ears. But something went wrong, and instead of hitting both Harry and Lily, it only hit Lily and flew against Voldemort himself. Voldemort shrieked an odd "nooo!" and then there was no more sounds from the house in Godric's Hollow except for the steady drip, drip, drip from the rain outside.

***

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Once again, back to the present day…

A single silver tear drifted down Harry's face as Sirius retold the story of what had happened in Godric's Hollow sixteen years before. Of course, it wasn't exact, because no one but Voldemort knows what went on that night, but it was enough for Harry to determine what the odd feeling he had felt. It was a feeling of dread, of misfortune, but a feeling of truth. And now, finally, Harry knew the truth.

Many years went by, but always, on July 31st, Harry carried a spirit of knowing. Because from the day of his seventeenth birthday and forth, he knew that he was sharing a birthday with his father, and also that he could finally grieve on the proper day for the death of his parents. And all was calm.

~~~~~

A/N: Okay, I know that was weird. The ending wasn't too good…but as I said, it was my first fan fic! Oh, and don't comment on how odd it is that Harry and James shared the same birthday, because I don't think it's odd at all; I was born on my mom's birthday, therefore, my mom and I have the same birthday. J Please tell me what you think of this, so I know more of how to write to people's tastes for the next story I write! ~Noelle~


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